--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with gross domestic product…" description: "\"“The problem with gross domestic product is the gross bit. There are no deductions involved: all economic activity is accounted as if it were of positi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/george-monbiot-2762_economics_the-problem-with-gross-domestic-product_2368323.png" --- # The problem with gross domestic product is the gross bit… ![“The problem with gross domestic product is the gross bit. There are no deductions involved: all economic activity is accounted as if it were of positive value. Social harm is added to, not subtracted from, social good. A train crash which generates £1bn worth of track repairs, medical bills and…” quote by George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/george-monbiot-2762_economics_the-problem-with-gross-domestic-product_2368323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/george-monbiot-2762_economics_the-problem-with-gross-domestic-product_2368323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/george-monbiot-2762_economics_the-problem-with-gross-domestic-product_2368323.png) > ““The problem with gross domestic product is the gross bit. There are no deductions involved: all economic activity is accounted as if it were of positive value. Social harm is added to, not subtracted from, social good. A train crash which generates £1bn worth of track repairs, medical bills and funeral costs is deemed by this measure as beneficial as an uninterrupted service which generates £1bn in ticket sales.”” [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. GDP counts all economic activity as positive, ignoring social harm, so it can label destructive events as beneficial. **In simple terms:** GDP treats all activity as good, even harmful ones. Key Takeaway Consider broader measures of progress. Themes economics environment policy measurement Mood critical analytical Type economic environmental philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - environmental impact - budget planning - risk assessment Key Concepts GDP social welfare externalities valuation Questions to Reflect On - How can we measure true societal well‑being? - What alternatives to GDP exist? A Different Perspective GDP ignores distributional effects and quality of life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deductions Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deductions-involved-5824244/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Gdp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gdp/) [Gross Domestic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gross-domestic-1176114/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Involved Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved-economic-5824243/) [Social good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-good/) [Social Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-harm-2588283/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Our gross domestic product, or GDP, is barely above 1 percent. 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